People across the eastern state of Saxony took part in demonstrations against refugees being taken into Germany at the weekend, with thousands gathering on the Czech frontier to form a "living border".

Up to 2,500 people assembled peacefully in Sebnitz, directly on the frontier with the Czech republic, to take part in the "living border" demonstration.

Calls to take part in the action had come from people connected with the Pegida ("Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West") movement, which is strongest in the Saxon capital Dresden.

Pegida founder Lutz Bachmann last week learned that he may face a trial for hate speech over Facebook comments comparing refugees to livestock.
The border action followed a "silent march" by around 1,000 people through the city of Chemnitz on Saturday.

They were protesting against plans to open a refugee accommodation centre in a former youth camp belonging to the German Democratic Republic (GDR) Young Pioneers organization.

A similar number of people had demonstrated in Görlitz using the motto "Görlitz defends itself" – facing off against around 500 counter-demonstrators calling themselves "Görlitz open to the world".